Interior Lights and locks doesn't work

hsentra · Feb 24th, 2007, 05:41 PM

Hello. I have a Nissan Sentra 2002 GXE 1.8L (5 Speed). I started having the following problems 3 days ago:
1. remote keyless doesn't work
2. interior light lamps doesn't work (dashboard and button lights work though)
3. automatic locks doesn't work

This all started happening at the same time. My power windows work (although my rear ones are slow). I had my battery tested at Canadian Tire and they said the battery is fine. Any idea what it could be? I'm thinking alternator but my car isn't really stalling on me.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Team7-B15 · Feb 25th, 2007, 12:53 AM

hmm...possibly the altenator? something in your power source isnt giving, so check out your fuses and relays to ensure that none are blown. If no fuses are blown, check the relays on the passenger side of the engine bay by the coolant resevoir or the fuses by the battery. That would be my guess.

Duffman47 · Feb 25th, 2007, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team7-B15

hmm...possibly the altenator? something in your power source isnt giving, so check out your fuses and relays to ensure that none are blown. If no fuses are blown, check the relays on the passenger side of the engine bay by the coolant resevoir or the fuses by the battery. That would be my guess.

yes agreed, when troubleshooting electrical, alawys start the simple thins first, ive seen mechanics drool over electrical for hours all for a blown relay, first this is to check fuses and relays, if your alternator was bad you wouldnt have a charged battery and your car wouldnt srart after a few hours, if your really picky though do a charging system voltage test usuing a multimeter if you have one should be about 14 volts, also check the battery to alternator wire for excess resistance by doind a voltage drop test across the wire, if you see more than about
.2 of a volt you need a new wire! hope this helps a bit

hsentra · Feb 25th, 2007, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duffman47

yes agreed, when troubleshooting electrical, alawys start the simple thins first, ive seen mechanics drool over electrical for hours all for a blown relay, first this is to check fuses and relays, if your alternator was bad you wouldnt have a charged battery and your car wouldnt srart after a few hours, if your really picky though do a charging system voltage test usuing a multimeter if you have one should be about 14 volts, also check the battery to alternator wire for excess resistance by doind a voltage drop test across the wire, if you see more than about
.2 of a volt you need a new wire! hope this helps a bit

hey guys,

thanks so much. The fuse for the "room lamp" located in the engine compartment was blown. I replaced it and it worked like a charm. Thanks alot! Couple questions though.
Question 1: what did you guys mean by checking the "relay"? I'm really not good with cars

Question 2: How can I check if the 30 and 40 amp fuses are blown? My power windows are extremely slow so I'm thinking it could be the 30 amp fuse in the engine compartment.

Thanks again!

Duffman47 · Feb 25th, 2007, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hsentra

hey guys,

thanks so much. The fuse for the "room lamp" located in the engine compartment was blown. I replaced it and it worked like a charm. Thanks alot! Couple questions though.
Question 1: what did you guys mean by checking the "relay"? I'm really not good with cars

Question 2: How can I check if the 30 and 40 amp fuses are blown? My power windows are extremely slow so I'm thinking it could be the 30 amp fuse in the engine compartment.

Thanks again!

im not going to get into how a relay works but just think of it as a switch, it looks just like a fuse but a small cube with 4 or 5 pins on the bottom of it it doesnt matter the size of the fuse. if the fuse was blown it would completely cut the circuit off of power so if the windows are slow the fuse isnt the problem, im gessing it could be a bad connection on the ground side of the circuit with mean not all the electricity can get back to ground causing excess resistance and not allowing the motor for the windows to operate as fast, anything that causes resistance in the circuit will reduce the current flowing through it and thus slow the window movement, you could have a corroded wire or just a bad motor that needs replacement. are all the windows slow or just one?

Duffman47 · Feb 25th, 2007, 07:15 PM

and also check the window switch that you use to operate the windows also the contacts may be corroded or eaten away over time youll have to buy a new window switch or clean up the contacts

Team7-B15 · Feb 26th, 2007, 01:07 AM

thats what i would suggest. you can get the relay fuses from the dealer and pay a lot or look in a junkyard, yeah, its funny, but cars get wrecked and you never know what you could find. For the door panel, check the wiring and guide your fingers to where it goes to the black wire cover, make sure you dont have any shorting in wire as well.

hsentra · Feb 26th, 2007, 08:39 AM

The 2 rear windows are slow. The drivers side window is only slow when its almost all the way down. I'll check the door panel wiring. Thanks!

Duffman47 · Mar 9th, 2007, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hsentra

The 2 rear windows are slow. The drivers side window is only slow when its almost all the way down. I'll check the door panel wiring. Thanks!

so was the problem found?

hsentra · Mar 10th, 2007, 11:20 AM

nope i haven't had a chance to check. Its been insanely cold to do anything out there.
However, I did try the window switch on the door as well as from the drivers side window control and both had the same slow result.

Duffman47 · Mar 11th, 2007, 04:55 PM

if they both give slwo speed then i wouldnt susspect that one window switch anymore, i guess the only thing to do now is trace all the wires for an open, if all the wires are good then the moter is probly just fucked..